Once and Again
Page 5

But then Lily had gone to college and ended up with Nathan. It had been like a fairy tale at first. He was the handsome boy from back home. Older. Sophisticated. And really hot. Plus he taught her plenty of sex-type stuff that unfortunately she’d never found a man good enough to replicate. She’d considered him The One. It was fabulous until it all fell to pieces.
She and Beth had remained good friends, but they’d grown apart a little, especially after the breakup and then when she’d moved to Macon. As friends went, Lily considered herself to be very fortunate to have one in Beth, and it was one of the things she considered best about moving back to Petal.
Now for the thing she dreaded most about moving back to Petal. She sighed as she hiked her bag up to her shoulder.
“Thanks for the help.” She opened the door and nudged him aside to get past. He was solid and warm and still smelled really good. And she was totally sure he’d meant to brush against her the way he had. Man he was sneaky.
She’d once loved him more than anything or anyone in the world. Times change.
So close to her just then he caught sight of the flutter of her pulse at the hollow of her throat and the scent of her perfume wafted over. He imagined her body heating for him, the way his was for her. Her lips parted just a breath and he caught his own but drew her into his lungs and the shock of it echoed through his gut.
Ensnared, he drew another deep breath and barely managed to keep from burying his face in her hair. “You still wear frangipani?” He couldn’t help but smile. He loved the earthy scent she wore. He wanted to ask if she still put it behind her knees and in the hollow of her throat. But the look on her face told him that would be a bad idea.
But he was hungry for her. A hunger he hadn’t admitted to himself in a really long time. But there she stood, close enough to touch and he couldn’t.
And he had no one to blame but himself.
Chapter Two
Lily walked out to her car after six meetings with six teachers. A whole rasher of begging and apologizing and a lot of promises had been given. The principal liked Chris and believed in him, which was a huge help.
But the state was already giving them the evil eye about all the absences, and Lily had to sign an official warning saying that if he continued to cut class, he’d be expelled and have to be home schooled and they’d have to deal with child-protective services too.
That was the last thing any of them needed. The general store on Main should carry some of the organizational supplies she’d need for his room. A trip to Atlanta or one of the bigger towns closer in would be necessary to get the rest. Or she could order off the internet.
Seeing the Honey Bear, she pulled in and parked. Once she’d grabbed some carbs, she decided to hit the bookstore to see if they carried any of the books Nathan had listed for his extra-credit assignments.
They did and they had some calendar stuff she needed as well.
“Hi there. Wow! You look fabulous.”
Lily turned to see the freaking fashion model behind the counter holding a toddler with pale blonde hair and big green eyes to complement her wicked grin. That was new. Not babies, but the woman wasn’t someone she recognized.
“Um, thanks.”
Glamazon smiled, looking even prettier. “I’m Cassie and this is Meg, my niece.” A greedy little hand plopped a big plastic horse on the counter and soon, another set of big green eyes and a mop of dark brown hair showed themselves. She laughed. “Not a daycare, I promise. That’s Ward, my son. Sorry, my sister-in-law ran to grab some lunch. You new around here?”
“No, actually. I grew up in Petal. I’m Lily Travis. Just moved back. This week in fact. Is Penny around?”
“She sold the store to me a few years back. She’s married now, with two kids. Lives in Atlanta. Lily? You and Beth Murphy are friends, right? Your mom is Pamela Travis?” The brief look that flashed across Cassie’s features told Lily the entire town knew about her father.
“I’ve known Beth since first grade. I’ve liked her since third.” Lily laughed. “And yep, Pamela is my mother. You’re not from around here. I’d remember that hair.”
Cassie laughed, and the little girl she held laughed and clapped as well.
“Thank you. Not originally. I didn’t plan to end up here. But a few minutes after I drove into town, I was rear-ended by the woman who turned out to be my future mother-in-law. I was a goner when I saw all eleven feet of handsome gorgeous that was her son. Oh and look, it’s my sister-in-law. Well, more than one of them.”
Lily turned to see a petite blonde with a baby so clearly her own in one of those baby-carrier things women wore, her hands full of bags. Next to her a sleek-looking, visibly pregnant brunette holding the hand of a preschooler.
Suddenly the place was awash with Chase wives. Lily smiled at the blonde. “Hey you.”
Tate Murphy, or rather, given the pictures her mother had taken at her wedding reception, Tate Chase, hugged her around the baby in the sling. “Oh my God! Lily! You’re here. Beth said you’d be in town a bit.”
“You look fabulous.” She looked her friend over after they broke the hug. “Marriage suits you. Then again, if I was married to Matt Chase, I’d look satisfied and a little bit smug about it too.”
Tate grinned. “I have a very good life and that includes a pretty tasty-looking man to come home to every night. It’s good to see you. Olivia? You remember Lily?”
Lily looked around Tate and smiled at the woman she remembered from back in the day. “Marc Chase I hear. My mom keeps me apprised of all the comings and goings. Congratulations to you too.”